BANGOR — Gov. Paul LePage says he agrees with an assessment by Forbes Magazine that Maine has the worst business climate in the nation.

LePage told the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday that while he’s been trying for the past two years to turn Maine into a more business-friendly state, a lot more work needs to be done.

The Republican governor cited several reasons for Maine’s poor ranking — it was the third year in a row that Forbes put the state at the bottom of its list — but he singled out energy costs.

He said residents pay 24 percent above the national average for power, and energy costs for businesses are 14 percent higher than the U.S. as a whole.

LePage said hydroelectric power and natural gas are keys in reducing energy costs.


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